Nepali TV presenter creates world record for longest talk show

TV presenter Rabi Lamichhane (left) is presented with a certificate by a Guinness World Records official. AFP photo

A television presenter in Nepal has set a new world record by hosting a talk-show for more than 62 hours at a stretch.

Rabi Lamichhane, 36, feat was immediately recognised by officials of Guinness World Records present to witness the marathon feat.

Based on the theme ‘Buddha was born in Nepal’ Lamichhane started the show at 10 am on Thursday and ended it after 62 hours and 12 minutes on Saturday.

He eclipsed the earlier record held by Ukrainian TV presenters who hosted a show continuously for 52 hours in 2011 to mark the 20th anniversary of the country’s independence.

The first guest on the show which saw politicians, journalists, entrepreneurs, sportspersons, social activists taking part was former prime minister and Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’.

As per Guinness rules, Lamichhane was allowed five minute breaks after every hour. But he accumulated them and took longer breaks after hosting the show for several hours at a stretch. Lamichhane works as a manager at an outlet of a fast food chain in US.

Though he didn’t look tired, by the time the show ended Lamichhane who was wearing traditional Nepali dress ‘daura-suruwal’ with a cap and had visible stubble on his face.